


Lifeboat 8

by Zeelandia



Category: Titanic (1997)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:13:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28894926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zeelandia/pseuds/Zeelandia
Summary: The story of lifeboat 8, after the Titanic has gone under. Keep in mind, it’s a fictionalised version of the events. But Jones, the Countess and Gladys Cherry their actions are based off of their versions of the story.





	Lifeboat 8

**Author's Note:**

> Another reminder, it’s mostly fictionalised, but this argument really took place and only four people(Jones, the Countess and Cherry among them) truly wanted to go back while the others didn’t. I began writing how such a conversation might’ve played out, the end result is this short story.

Lifeboat 8  
A long distance from the wreck was lifeboat number 8. Capacity for 65, onboard merely 27. At the helm was not an officer, but a passenger. Noël Leslie, better known as the Countess of Rothes, wearing a big furry coat and gloves, was steering the ship. Sitting close to her was her cousin, Gladys Cherry. The seaman in charge of the boat was Thomas Jones. Jones was checking on his passengers, all of them women. He made sure they were all warm and tried to comfort the ones crying, to little succes. Marie Young was wrapped in blankets, starring at the spot where only moments before the Titanic had been. Sitting next to her was Ella White, an older woman with glasses and a large hat. She payed no attention to the wreckage, as she was fumbling around with one of the oars. Ellen Bird was wearing a fur coat, it once belonged to someone else, Ida Straus. Her employer had decided to stay with her elderly husband, despite many officers and passengers trying to convince them to stay. Ida had given Ellen her coat as a gift, but she felt she didn’t deserve it. When she tried to take it off however, she suddenly realised just how cold it was and decided to put it back on.

Everyone was starring at the sea, as if they were waiting for something to happen. Something did happen, but not what they were hoping for. Out of nowhere, over a thousand voices could be heard, screaming in agony. It was terrifying, there was no stopping it, it just kept going. No one in the lifeboat said anything. Some of the women tried to cover their ears, to little effect, or began to cry themselves. Thomas Jones stopped in his tracks and turned around. He then slowly looked at the boat, only 25 women, rocking in the boat. He then looked back at the water. “Everyone, grab an oar, we’re going back.”. Everyone looked up and blocked out the screams. “What?” Ella White asked with disbelief. “We can’t just leave them. I said we’re going back.”. Jones responded, his voice a bit more stern then before. “You must be joking! We can’t go back!”. Mrs White said, a nervous smile on her face. The Countess spoke up, “Why not?”. She’d already turned the tiller, but the people on the oars were not making a move. “Because they’ll swamp us!” Mrs White said, she began to stand. “Just imagine, hundreds of desperate swimmers, all trying to get onto one tiny boat!”. Many of the ladies didn’t want to imagine anything.

“What do you propose we do then? Wait? Do nothing?”. Jones asked, barely resisting the urge to punch the snobby old lady in the face. “Yes. We’d be much better off rather then to risk our lives in such a hopeless attempt.” A few others agreed. “Useless attempt? Don’t hear them? They’re begging for our help! Wouldn’t you-“. Cherry began, but another woman cut her off. “She’s right! It’s not safe! We have to think about ourselves here!”. Many more ladies muttered in agreement. Ellen was quiet, she knew that her employers would have no chance of being saved. They had to make sure their memories would be saved. “It’s for the best... there’s not many of us left, going back would be suicide.” She spoke up. The Countess and Cherry looked at each other, they couldn’t believe their ears. “Besides, even if we go back, we’re further away then any other lifeboat, we’ll never make it in time.” Mrs White said. “Not with you behind the oars, we won’t. Where are the men?”.

Two men looked up, terrified. “Get back on your seats, were going back now, that’s an order!”. Jones commanded, the women began to shout, the men stood up. “Like hell we will!”. “You’re going to get us all killed!”. Mrs White scoffed, “You call these two men? They’re cowards! They obviously gave no clue what they’re doing.”. One of the men turned to her. “Oh, shut that hole in your face! Or there’ll be one less in this boat!”. Marie Young spoke up, I’ll handle the oars! We have to hurry! The screams are dying out!”. Everyone suddenly stopped and realised she was right. “Oh Marie, don’t be a fool now..” Mrs White began, but Marie stopped her. “Those men saved us! Colonel Butt saved me! What kind of a person would I be if I abandoned him right when he needs me?”. “A wise one!”. Mrs White snarked back at her. Cherry became impatient. “Come on, we have to hurry! They don’t have much longer!”, but the Countess knew time was up. “We’re too late.”. Marie and Jones lowered their heads in shame, the other women sighed in relief.

“Fine, we’ll stay.” Jones said, turning to Mrs White and the others. “"Ladies, if any of us are saved, remember I wanted to go back. I would rather drown with them than leave them.". Jones then took a seat between the passengers. Some looked a bit ashamed of themselves, but most kept their attitude. One of the ladies in the boat, an Italian, began to cry out for her husband. The Countess got up and gave Cherry the tiller. “It’s alright miss, I’m sure he got into a boat. I heard the other side was letting the men on.”. Jones turned to the two other men and nodded towards the Countess. “See that? That’s more of a man then anyone else in this boat. Including me.”. The two men looked at each other but didn’t say a word.

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a one-shot, since I believe that the Countess of Rothes, Thomas Jones and some of the other passengers who wanted to go back deserved some credit. Also, it’s unclear which ladies were against going back, but it is said nearly all of them were against saving others. I chose Ella White because of her snobby and whiny attitude that she had throughout the rest of the night. It’s not clear if she was against going back.


End file.
